Top 7 fibromyalgia supplements that work for boosting energy

Research and Evidence based article is taken from Dr.Kevin Hackshaw MD

All the pros and cons of supplements and risk factors shared in this review have been taken from the trusted AMIA* health sites, and have gone through real data from authentic, reliable Medical professional research study and actual consumer. It was essential for us to have a third party be a guarantee of all the research, data, study we share here to avoid an adverse impact on our health. Enjoy the review! AMIA* American Medical Informatics Association. Check out Top 7 fibromyalgia supplements that work for boosting energy.

How can I fight fibromyalgia naturally? Does magnesium help fibromyalgia? Fatigue, brain fog, and widespread pain are the more common symptoms of fibromyalgia.

Top 7 fibromyalgia supplements that work for boosting energy

What are the risk factors of fibromyalgia if untreated

Before answering, you need to understand that a risk factor of disease lies within one or more of the most restricted habits in the world.

What happens if fibromyalgia is left untreated?

Lung cancer derives from chain-smoking or excessive exposure to secondary smoking. Liver and kidney damages are the definite result of alcoholism. Eyesight loss may happen from diabetes if you uncontrollably intake artificial sugar or high-fructose.

Similarly, risk factors of fibromyalgia will show up if it is not treated well with proper medication, a healthy lifestyle, and an optimum diet.

What are the most severe symptoms of fibromyalgia?

Untreated fibromyalgia may hamper your personal, social, and work-life in many aspects. You may lose your strength to work anymore or slowly your family members and peers would walk away from your life.

There are possibilities that you will lose interest in sports, hiking, social works, or any other fun activities that involve physical stress.

This article shares some great supplements that can aid in suppressing and fight fibromyalgia to live your life in a much better way.

What is the best painkiller for fibromyalgia?

There is no one remedy that works for everyone. Herbs and supplements may help. Read on to find Fibromyalgia supplements that work, its effectiveness, possible side effects, interactions, Dosage, User Rating Review, and Testimonials

  1. Panax ginseng
  2. St. John’s wort
  3. Melatonin
  4. Chlorella pyrenoidosa
  5. ALCAR
  6. Alpha-lipoic acid
  7. Magnesium

1.  Panax Ginseng- What It Is?

Panax Ginseng is a multi-medicinal plant ( also known as Asian ginseng, Korean ginseng, and Chinese ginseng) originally grown in Korea, North-East China, and far Eastern Siberia.

Panax Ginseng is separated from other species of ginseng like American Ginseng, Siberian ginseng, or Panax pseudoginseng. It has versatile curing characteristics.

PG’s root is basically used in making medicines for treating various physical and neural ailments.

Panax Ginseng is an oral medicine and it can help in treating Alzheimer [Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6190533/]

neural benefits

Other neural benefits like boosting memory and focal power, developing cognitive process, numbness, etc. can be attributed to Panax ginseng root. It can also contribute to recovering from muscle damage, lack of stamina, work or sports injuries, etc.

active components

The main two active components of Panax ginseng are ginsenosides and gintonin. Both these components have a beneficial contribution to various brain functions with minimum side effects.

Overall, Panax ginseng is a medically proven herbal medicine containing a number of health benefits.

Benefits and Features of Panax Ginseng

SL No Features Benefits How It Will Impact On Your Life
1 Antioxidants and Insulin-like Substances Relaxes lung muscles, Increases organ’s blood flow, Fights free radicals. Prevent and treat asthmatic symptomsKeep organs healthy to function properlySlows down agingBoosts active brain function
2 Anti-inflammatory Fights oxidation Reduces pain from diabetesEases muscle pain
3 Immune Function Reduces cholesterol levelFights cancerous cellsEases lung functions Less risk of heart stroke Healthy life longevitySufficient air inhaling
4 Anti-cancer Anti-tumor properties can fight cancers Improved life for patients with breast cancerLess risk of cancer in lungs, ovary, pancreas, stomach, liver, etc.
5 Antianxiety Increases blood flow to the brain Reduces stress and improve brain function
6 Energy Booster Enhances physical performanceReduces fatigue Helps people in sports activitiesHardworking students may benefit from it.
7 Adaptogen Fights Pseudomonas aeruginosa and viral infections. Prolongs life, Protects against anticancer drugs and chemotherapy’s side effects.
8 Promote Nitric Oxide Relaxes muscle and increase blood flow in the penis. Treat Erectile Dysfunction (ED) better than conventional medication.

How Effective is Panax Ginseng  

Proper intake of panax ginseng has been proven to be effective in many ways on physical and neural health.

Let’s get to know about some of the effective applications of panax ginseng in the following:

1.   Brain Booster

Panax ginseng may boost brain function by increasing blood flow in the brain.

It improves memory, cognitive function, and behavior. It can also help in improving mood and social orientation [Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21154383]

In a study, 30 healthy people took 200mg of panax ginseng daily for 4 weeks and improved their mental health, mood, and social behaviors [Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11895046]

2.   Revitalize Immune System

Taking panax ginseng extract can revitalize immune system.

It may help patients of chemotherapy by improving their health [Source: https://koreamed.org/article/0037JKSS/1998.54.6.854]

3.   Reduce Inflammation in Cells

Panax ginseng has antioxidant properties that can reduce inflammation in cells [Souce: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23356855].

It can lower oxidation level in muscle and help people boost stamina in athletic activities.

4.   Help Men with Erectile Dysfunction

The two most active compounds in panax ginseng are the ginsenosides and gintonin.

These compounds are able to reduce stress level in the vessel and tissues of penis while increase the blood flow into it. Thus it puts this organ’s normal function back into action [Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16855773]

5.   Works as Anti-fatigue

People given with panax ginseng extract experienced less oxidative stress and fatigue in their mind and body [Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27983571/, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23613825/]

Dosage: How Much for Which Disease

Korean Red Ginseng or Panax ginseng can be taken as powdered root or as liquid extract.

Panax ginseng’s dosage should be based on the requirement for a particular disease. Below is a chart of PG dosage according to various studies:

SL No Disease/ Condition Dose Administering Form Result
1 Erectile Dysfunction 900mg/ day for 3 weeks Liquid/extract Improved organ function. [1]
2 Type 2 Diabetes 200 mg/per day for 1 month Dry root (in tea or by chewing) Modest effect on blood glucose control. [2]
3 Depression 2-3g/day for 8 weeks Powdered or dry root Random headache and sleep problem but overall improvement showed. [3]
4 Fatigue 1-2g/day for 4-12 weeks Dry root (in tea or by chewing) Enhanced Oxygen uptake and energy level. [4]

Study Source –

[1] https://www.auajournals.org/article/S0022-5347(05)64298-X/abstract
[2]https://www.aafp.org/afp/2003/1015/p1539.html
[3]https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/results/NCT01496248
[4]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5102849/

Health Benefits of Panax Ginseng

Health benefits of panax ginseng have been researched and practiced for thousands of years in China and Korea.

Currently it is registered in WHO (World Health Organization) for clinical trials. Also pharmacological and medical studies on Asian or Korean ginseng were conducted for further exploration of its effectiveness [Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6026386/]

Below are some of the till-date researched health benefits of panax ginseng:

1.   Panax Ginseng Improves Cognitive Function

A study was conducted on patients with Alzheimer where panax ginseng was administered to them by 4.5g per day for 12 weeks.

After 12 weeks, their cognitive performance enhanced [Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18580589]

More studies are going on to explore more beneficial aspects of panax ginseng on cognitive function.

2.   It Reduces Inflammation

Panax ginseng has many therapeutic qualities. Rg3 enriched PG extract can heal some inflammatory complications [Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6201491/]

3.   It Reduces Fatigue while Increases Energy

If you want to dump your fatigue while boosting your energy level, take panax ginseng extract.

Many people hold coffee responsible for sleeplessness or restless muscles during sleep. But ginseng extract can give you a caffeine-free boost up from fatigue condition.

Study shows the efficacy of panax ginseng on reducing fatigue level [Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5102849/]

4.   Panax Ginseng is good for Diabetes

Every year, more than hundred million people suffer from diabetic complications worldwide which requires effective medicinal application [Ref: Wild S, Roglic G, Green A, Sicree R, King H. Global prevalence of diabetes: estimates for the year 2000 and projections for 2030.]

Panax ginseng was prized for its anti-diabetic agents about 2000 years ago. According to the ancient Chinese medicinal book Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing, panax ginseng possesses potential properties to treat diabetic complications [Source: http://www.biblio.nhat-nam.ru/The_Divine_Farmers_Materia_Medica.pdf,  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3659569/]

5.   It Treats Impotence

The persistent inability to penile erection can make the men’s life uneasy and unhappy. Due to various contributory factors owing to modern lifestyle, this masculine disability is susceptible to sufficient treatment.

Panax ginseng contains therapeutic properties that can relax organ muscles and increase blood flow to the penile passageway. It has potential to treat erectile dysfunction with minimum side effects [Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6481484/, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3739245/].

6.   It May Enhance Immune System

Roots, stems, leaves, and extract of Panax ginseng are used in vitalizing immune system for resisting various illnesses. Its antibacterial and antiviral qualities keep the body functions immune to diseases [Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3659612/].

7.   It Contains Anticancer Properties

More than 30 types of ginsenosides are present in panax ginseng. Among them Rg2, Rg5, and Rh2 have the anticarcinogenic compounds which can prevent cancer singularly or synergistically (combined action) [Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3202204/]

8.   Panax Ginseng Prevents Flu Effectively

Panax ginseng has immunomodulatory functions. It is effective in fighting viral infections and healing body from the oxidative reactions.

Healthy individuals can intake PG for protecting their bodies from influenza virus infection [Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3466917/, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5302443/]

Panax Ginseng May Give You These Side Effects

Side effects have been observed upon testing administration of panax ginseng in human trials. Systematic review on those adverse effects has been conducted [Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12020172].

Toxic effects on humans by panax ginseng were found to be mild or less significant according to a study [Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3501011/].

The side effects of PG intake are as follow:

  • Insomnia
  • Hot Flashes
  • Instable Blood Pressure
  • Headache or Nausea
  • Achiness in Breast
  • Constant Dizziness
  • Birth Complications
  • Low Blood Sugar
  • Itching/rash in tongue, skin, throat.
  • Upset Stomach
  • Vaginal Bleeding
  • Breathing Complication or Irregular Heartbeat
  • Impact on Existing Hormonal Diseases
  • Loss of Appetite
  • Mood Swing
  • Threatening to Children’s Consumption
  • Problematic for Schizophrenia Patients
  • Risky for Organ Transplant Patients  

In the above listed side effects, insomnia and hot flashes are the commonest effects that one may encounter on PG supplementation. Others could be minor or less frequent.

The above side effects can be endorsed by the following credentials:

1.   Expert Opinions

Advocating the moderation in ginseng supplementation, Dana Nahai, a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) from Atlanta, Georgia, says-

““Though considered safe, ginseng needs to be thought of as any compound with pharmacological effect: The poison is in the dose,”, “Ginseng is meant to be used as a supplement; an occasional additive, not a part of your daily dietary routine.”

She also opined that people with high blood pressure or heart conditions should especially avoid ginseng.

[Source: https://www.wellandgood.com/good-advice/ginseng-benefits/]

2.   Research & Study

A combined study by the Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology and the Department of Pharmacology from the College of Medicine in Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea, was published in 2014 where the following findings came out:

“In humans, Panax ginseng is associated with mild toxicity and few adverse events have been reported. Siegel described the unfavorable symptoms of ginseng based on the 2-yr follow up of 133 patients with ginseng ingestion: morning diarrhea (35%), skin eruption (25%), nervousness (25%), sleeplessness (20%), hypertension (17%), edema, decreased appetite, depression, and hypotension (10%). The adverse events have been associated with high doses and long-term usage.”

[Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4452531/]

3.   Analysis on Research

According to the safety analysis on panax ginseng by Korea Ginseng Research Institute in 2015, following findings were noted:

“The main adverse events of ginseng reported were general symptoms such as hot flushes, insomnia and dyspepsia with no significant difference in frequency and symptoms between the ginseng and placebo groups. The symptoms were mild and temporary with no serious or severe adverse events.”

The analysis concluded,

“Panax ginseng showed a very safe profile in a limited number of RCTs with a small number of participants with various conditions ranging from healthy participants to patients with symptoms. However, to increase the usefulness and lower the health risk of Panax ginseng to customers, clinical trials on a larger scale and with a higher standard are necessary to define its efficacy and safety as a dietary supplement or complementary medicine.”

For details, go to the research article link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5533164/

4.   Reviewed by Other Users

Thousands of users from around the world have taken panax ginseng as herbal supplements for treating various physical or neural problems.

Most reviews on using PG were positive while a minor segment had showed the ineffectiveness of taking panax ginseng.

Patients of Erectile Dysfunction and PSTD have expressed their gratitude as well as complaints towards PG:

“Ginseng is the best thing I have found for PTSD. I can’t take SSRIs, so my options to treat that are limited. I disassociate much less when I take this, and I’m less likely to have intrusive or suicidal thoughts. I thought I just got better but then I ran out of my ginseng supplement and within a week I felt awful and crazy again.”

“I am 64 I am in very good health but at this age I cannot sustain my erection a sufficient time. So I tried 3 kinds of GINSENG I had a very strong and sustained erection. But unfortunately 2 times I get for 2 days high blood pressure until 17/11 and the 3rd time I get a big allergy with muscle shaking and blood pressure raising quickly I stop it. So I don’t dare take it anymore.”

 Source: https://www.drugs.com/comments/ginseng/for-herbal-supplementation.html

Review from other sources:

“About 6-8 hours after the second dosage I noticed that I felt like I went into massive MAN mode, craving red meat, feeling especially vibrant… almost an invincibility feeling, etc. Also had some insomnia issues. For me, the jury is still out for me in how the side effects are maintained, but it definitely did the job I wanted it to do.”

Source: https://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientreview-1000-PANAX+GINSENG.aspx?drugid=1000&drugname=PANAX+GINSENG&sortby=3

Drug Interaction of PG Supplementation

Unsupervised supplementation or overdose of panax ginseng may interact with other existing medications. You have to be careful about the following instances while supplementing PG:

  • Bleeding with Anticoagulant Medicines
  • Bleeding with Herbal Medicines Danshen, Ginger, Garlic, etc.
  • Increased Heart Rate with Asthmatic or Respiratory Drugs
  • Effect patients taking ADHD or other neural medicines.
  • Interact with metabolism drugs.
  • May cause hypertension if mixed with caffeine.

Overall metabolism and its drug interaction possibilities can be found in detail in the article published by Tang Center for Herbal Medicine Research and Department of Anesthesia & Critical Care, The Pritzker School of Medicine, University of Chicago in 2011 [Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3291795/]

Key Points of Panax Ginseng

Efficacy Psychologic functioning: effective; conflicting evidence
Physical performance: ineffective
Immune system: effective
Diabetes: modest effect; evidence limited
Adverse effects Nausea, diarrhea, euphoria, insomnia, headaches, hypertension, hypotension, mastalgia, vaginal bleeding, blood pressure abnormalities
Interactions Bleeding with Anticoagulant Medicines, Bleeding with Herbal Medicines Danshen, Ginger, Garlic, etc., Increased Heart Rate with Asthmatic or Respiratory Drugs, Effect patients taking ADHD or other neural medicines, Interact with metabolism drugs, May cause hypertension is mixed with caffeine.
Dosage ED: Liquid Extract, 900mg/ day for 3 weeks.
Type 2 Diabetes: Dry Root by Chewing or in Tea, 200 mg/per day for 1 month.
  Depression: Powdered or Dry Root, 2-3g/day for 8 weeks.
  Fatigue: Dry Root in Tea or by Chewing, 1-2g/day for 4-12 weeks
Cost Check price here
Bottom line A safe, well-tolerated herbal medicine that may be used for a variety of medical conditions.

2.  St. John’s Wort- What Is It?

St. John’s Wort (SJW) or Hypericum perforatum is a sprawling leafy herb which has been in medicinal use since the ancient Greek tradition. SJW is mostly popular for its antidepressant properties but studies are going on for its further medicinal benefits.

Recent studies show that SJW can be useful in treating inflammation, bacterial & viral diseases, and various pains. Millions of people around the globe are using SJW as an effective medicine.

[Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK92750/]

SJW is possibly effective in treating a few symptoms of fibromyalgia. It has inflammation and depression inhibitory qualities.

SJW was also used in ancient times as sedative for particular patients.

Since depression, insomnia, and inflammation are very common symptoms in fibromyalgia, formulated medicine made by St. John’s Wort may be useful in treating them.

Benefit – Features of St. John’s Wort

SL No. Features Benefits Impact on Your Life
1 Antidepressant Fights low to moderate depression, hypertension, and anxiety.Improves mood-swing problems.Improves sleeping quality. Improves quality of social and work life.Keeps physical and mental energy integral.
2 Anti-inflammatory Reduces joint and muscle pain.Treats bruise, sprain, injuries, etc.May treat sunburn. Helps dealing with various musculoskeletal pains in daily life effectively.Protect from skin complication caused by sunburn or chemical effects.
3 Antioxidant Fights free radicals. Revitalizes internal physical function of the body.
4 Antibacterial Fights oral bacteria.Heals wounds and cuts.May be effective in treating skin infection. Helps maintaining a healthy immune system.

Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5596533/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4946846/

How Effective is St. John’s Wort

St. John’s Wort is popularly used for treating depression and anxiety.

People have been using its medicinal merit for a long period of time to get rid of depression. In modern days, researchers have studied and found SJW’s components such as hypericin, hyperforin and adhyperforin to be effective in treating depression [Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12775192]

Other possible effectiveness of SJW are under research, some of which are as follows:

1.   SJW May Reduce Somatization Disorders

St. John’s Wort may be able to treat somatization disorders in many patients who are suffering from it.

A study on 150+ participants proved SJW administration to treat somatoform disorders was safe and fairly effective [source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15272100].

2.   Wound Healing Activities

SJW has promising qualities to heal wounds in the body.

It’s because of the increase in the stimulation of fibroblast collagen production and the activation of fibroblast cells in polygonal shape, which repairs the wound by closing damaged area [Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17156955]

3.   Potential Anticancer Medicine

SJW has the potential chemopreventive components that can treat cancer.

It’s not recommended to apply SJW during other cancer treatment medication, but further research is necessary to confirm [Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26865836 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15342408]

4.   May Treat Menopausal Symptoms

Tests on smaller scale have shown that SJW extract has an effect in reducing the postmenopausal agitations like psychological and vegetative symptoms in women aging 40-65+.

It needs further studies on a larger scale to conclude the efficacy of SJW in treating the menopausal symptoms [Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10623319 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19194342]

5.   Effective in Premenopausal Syndrome Treatment

Women aging 18-45 face a common symptom before or at the verge of menopausal condition. Study shows that daily intake of St. John’s Wort may heal the premenopausal complications.

Further studies are necessary to prove if long term SJW administration is effective in treating premenopausal effects such as mood swing or pain.

[Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20155996]

6.    Maybe Effective in Treating SAD

A common symptom known Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) usually occurs in winter/autumn or summer/spring, maybe treated by SJW. Conclusive studies are not at hand yet to prove its efficacy to treat SAD properly [Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7857504 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5138072/]

[Source: 1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22435352 2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12244886 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22435352]

Dosage: How Much for Which Disease

SL No. Disease/Condition Dose Administering Form Result
1 Depression (Mild to Moderate) for Adults. 300mg, 3 times daily, 4-6 weeks. Extract Effective in short-term period treatment. [1]
2 Depression (Mild to Moderate) for Children/Youth 150-300mg, 3 times daily, 4 weeks. Extract Effective in short-term period treatment. [2]
3 Depression (Moderate to Major) for Children/Youth 900mg, 3 times daily, from the 4th week to next 4 weeks. Extract Effective in major depressive disorder treatment. [3]
4 Menopausal Complication 300mg, 3 times daily, for 3-4 months Extract Effective in menopausal complication treatment with little side effects. [4]
5 Menopausal Complication 20 drops, 3 times daily, for 2 months Extract Effective in treating vasomotor symptoms of perimenopausal or postmenopausal condition. [5]
6 Somatization Disorder 600mg, twice daily, for 6 weeks Extract Effective in treating somatoform disorders safely. [6]

Study Source
[1]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10796719
[2]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12874492
[3]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12874492
[4]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24188229
[5]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20216274
[6]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15272100

Health Benefits of St. John’s Wort

Efficacy of SJW on health is proven through studies and a long passage of historical use.

Below are some of the identified health benefits of St. John’s Wort:

1.   St. John’s Wort Treats Depression Well

Among all healing powers, fighting depression may be the commonest therapeutic quality of SJW.

Ancient Greeks prized this plant for treating depression and anxiety. Chemical components present in this plant’s extract can inhibit depressive disorders in the neural function [Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12775192]

2.   SJW May Reduce Nerve Pain

St. John’s Wort may reduce neuropathic pain upon proper administration. Short term intake of SJW has been proved having long term effect in reducing nerve pain.

[Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20045676]

3.   It May Heal Wounds Quicker

SJW can be applied topically as ointment to heal wounds.

Due to its anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferative properties, this plant’s extract is a promising medicinal asset for the therapeutic industry.

[Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5664864/]

Possible Side Effects of St. John’s Wort

Natural plants and their medicinal administering come with downsides as well. Due to containing various soil particles, there remains a risk of harmful properties inside the herb content.

St. John’s Wort is not different. FDA has approved this only as diet supplement, not as a medicine supplement.

According to studies, various side effects are possible if SJW is administered in unsupervised or uncontrolled way [Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15554758].

Following are some side effects of St. John’s Wort:

  • Drug Interaction like oral contraceptives, antibiotics, blood thinner, etc.
  • Dizziness
  • Tiredness
  • Headache
  • Allergic reaction
  • Diarrhea
  • Restlessness

Some more information SJW side effects:

1.   Expert Opinion

Blair Green Thielemier, an independent consultant pharmacist, said, “Effect of St. John’s Wort in the body is not fully understood,” and that, “Natural doesn’t mean it’s not harmful.” [Source: https://www.healthline.com/health-news/is-st-johns-wort-safe-080615#4]

“SJW preparations have demonstrated clinically important interactions with several classes of conventional drugs such as immunosuppressants, anticancer agents, cardiovascular drugs, oral contraceptives, and lipid lowering agents that caused life-threatening events in several cases.”–  This is an expert opinion from a medical test run at the Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. [Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28885074]

2.   Research on Side Effects

According to various cases, drug interaction is the most adverse side effect the St. John’s Wort can have [Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15554758, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29411879].

A study published in 2001 by Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Medical University of South Carolina, USA, denotes that clinicians should be alert at prescribing St. John’s Wort to patients considering its herb-drug interaction based on accumulating evidences from past studies [Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12397870]

Study says that St. John’s Wort is safe as antidepressant but there are minor side effects that should be noted. A few side effects of SJW as per studies are photosensitivity, elevated thyroid stimulating hormones, hypertensive crisis, and induction of mania [Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5010734/].

3.   Analysis on Research

Design problem of the clinical trials on the effectiveness and side effects of St. John’s Wort is indeed a shortcoming in deciding its antidepressant quality conclusively [Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10496508].

A large scale analysis on the effect of St. John’s Wort was conducted including 29 studies of different segments in 2008. It comprised 12 studies comparing St. John’s wort with a dummy drug (placebo), 11 studies comparing it with other antidepressants, and 6 studies comparing it with both a placebo and other antidepressants. 5500 people participated in these studies in which about 70% were women. Apart from moderate and major depression treatment results, the analysis showed that SJW administration can have side effects like nausea, minor skin irritations, sensitivity to light (photosensitivity), and headaches. Also, a common side effect of SJW intake was found to be drug interaction i.e. increasing or decreasing the effect of the co-administered medicines.

The above study was last updated in January, 2017 [Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279279/]

Reviewed by Other Users

Below are 3 reviews collected from Drugs.com:

Bella said on September 23, 2019 in her review, “I started with 250mg per day using Karmamood and noticed a positive difference fairly quickly with my moderate depression. Carried on for a few weeks and after reading many reviews figured I would go up to the 425gm version of the same brand as it seemed like I was really under-dosing in comparison to others. Unfortunately this just seemed to be too strong and I noticed a major increase in irritability. Have now switched back to the lower dose with good results. For reference I seem to have stronger reactions to caffeine and other stimulants than most so this may be a factor but who knows.

Morrigan said on September 14, 2019, “I took this for three days and was very cautious, taking about half the recommended dose. Unfortunately even with low dosage I experienced a severe allergic reaction and ended up in A&E. My face, arms and torso were covered in hives but not my legs. I rang 111 and as I was talking to them on the phone I watched the rash travelling down my legs. I expected to find more reports of people having a similar reaction but it seems it’s pretty rare. I am shocked as I have never had an allergic reaction to anything before in my life. But a small amount of a herbal remedy triggered one that affected my whole body. Very frightening.”

Michelle gave a review on April 16, 2018 which says, “PLEASE DO NOT TAKE THIS WITH OTHER MEDICATIONS ESPECIALLY PRESCRIBED MEDICATIONS UNTIL SPEAKING WITH YOUR DOCTOR. SJW has helped me with my depression. For some the effects take time but me I felt the effects right away. I started with just taking one 300mg tablet each day. And now I take it twice a day. I noticed a major difference in my irritability. SJW doesn’t interact well with some medications for example birth control.”

An Australian website named productreview.com had published some reviews of customers who applied St. John’s Wort for their conditions. Those are below:

“This product is amazing. I quit cold turkey. Whenever i felt the irritation coming on or that i couldn’t make it through the day this stuff really helped!! I’d recommend this product to anyone who needs to take the edge off.

Couldn’t have done it without these magic natural pills.”- Chris.

“I’ve been struggling with my emotions for a while now and wasn’t keen on chemical based tablets. Discovered this product, gave it a try and I feel a lot more level emotionally now. It took 3 weeks to kick in for me. I’m an average height and weight female in her 30s. Usual daily struggles. No real health issues. Just over worked and stressed like the rest of us!”- Gunna.

Drug Interaction of St. John’s Wort

As mentioned earlier, SJW can have severe drug interaction. According to studies, some life-threatening interactions had been reported.

Some significant drug interactions to be noted are:

  • reduced blood cyclosporin concentration
  • serotonin syndrome or lethargy 
  • unwanted pregnancies in women while using oral contraceptives and SJW
  • reduced plasma drug concentration of antiretroviral and anticancer drugs

[Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2782080/]

Key Points of St. John’s Wort

Efficacy Mild to moderate depression: effective short-term
Wound healing: effective
Menopausal pain and irritation: effective
Adverse effects Diarrhea, headaches, allergic reaction, rash, blood pressure.
Interactions Reduced blood cyclosporin concentration, serotonin syndrome or lethargy, unwanted pregnancies in women while using oral contraceptives and SJW, reduced plasma drug concentration of antiretroviral and anticancer drugs

The research was taken from Dr.Kevin Hackshaw MD

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